Current Nautical Research Journal Issue

[Roger Pellett]

I have been reading the Nautical Research Journal for over 50 years and have been disappointed in the quality of its recent content. I have written about this here on SOS but when they get things right they deserve credit. The current issue, Spring 2026, is however a nice surprise! Instead of endless articles about assembling kits there are articles with real scholarly merit:

An extensive study of the Arab Dhow
Research into Donald McKay’s Clippers Ships (discussed here on SOS)
A description of a Santos Dumont hydroplane and construction of a model (another SOS member)
Construction of several models of the Confederate Navy’s submarine H.L. Hunley
A Hahn style model of a Colonial New England Schooner

Worth reading!

Roger

 

[mberg]

What are you selling?

 

[Roger Pellett]

I’m not selling anything! I have been a member of the Nautical Research GuIld for over 50 years and have watched their recent decline. I have been a vocal critic of the organization’s policies that I believe have contributed to this.

They have long been credited with publishing the pre-eminent American Ship modeling journal but that too is a shadow of its former self.

However! When they get something right, what’s wrong with recognizing it?

Roger

Btw: You can’t “buy” the journal. It is included with membership in the Guild; open to everyone.

 

[DAWarden-(Jaager)]

What are you selling?

An instance of a rare focus on scratch building and academic focus by the NRJ. For the organization in its present "research-phobic" morph setting - this is an out of character throwback to the golden age of the NRJ. An editor can only choose among the copy that is submitted. The current editor has decided to leave that post.

 

[mberg]

This thread is in the buy and sell section is why I'm confused by this.

 

[Roger Pellett]

Oh! Maybe the moderator will move it.